Cataracts

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Good morning everybody! I just got back from my Optometrist's office. My vision has been decreasing rapidly over the last couple of months. Although it's only been a year since my last eye exam, I thought I'd better have it checked. Sure enough, I have cataracts in both eyes. The doctor has scheduled me for surgery in about 6 weeks. I'm wondering if it's as easy and safe as I'm hearing? My brother had it years ago, and his vision was dramatically improved. Have any of you all had this surgery? How did it go? Did they put you completely under?

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Well, it is done on an outpatient basis but make no mistake there is care that will need to be done. After the surgery there will be a series of eye drops that will be needed to be administered more then once a day. I know this because both of my parents and my brother had cataract surgery. As for putting you completely under that doesn't usually take place unless you feel discomfort during the procedure. Usually they just give you a local to help deaden the pain during the procedure. The surgery takes around a half hour to an hour.

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Thanks for your reply, Hannah. That gives me a little insight into the situation. I really don't like the idea of being put under, unless it's unavoidable. My Optometrist told me it would be a ten minute procedure, but I thought that sounded awfully conservative. At least I won't be alarmed if it takes longer than that.

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When I was in North Carolina in 2008, I saw an optometrist who told me that I was developing cataracts. There was nothing that needed to be done about it at the time she said, but I was developing them and they would eventually be a problem. Since moving back to Maine, I have seen the optometrist here a few times, and he insists that there is no sign of cataracts.

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Brittany, there are a couple of things that you might try during the 6 weeks until you have the operation. Many years ago (early 1950's), I had a relative that had cataracts and the doctor was going to operate on them. Someone told her to eat raw pumpkin seeds and it would get rid of the cataracts. She did that and it worked. I was only a little girl, so I do not remember much of the details; I just remember going by to visit her and she was telling my mom about it.
The other thing that might help is pure aloe vera juice. You have to be sure to find pure juice, and not some with anything added to it.
I had a little white Poodle (I love Poodles !) and she was blind. the people told me that she was outside when Mt. St. Helens erupted, and she started going blind after that; but I do not know if that was what actually caused it or not.
Anyway, poor little Betty would bump into furniture and could barely find her way around when we let her out to go to the bathroom. I started putting aloe vera drops in her eyes, and I would hold her in my lap and wipe off the white matter that would come out of her eyes.
It was amazing ! ! Within a week's time, that little dog could see again. She was ecstatic ! That poor little dog had thought that she would never see again. When I took her outside, she ran in circles around the yard. She chased the cat around the house, she was so happy !
We kept putting the aloe drops in her eyes until they were clear again, and then I only did it once or twice a month, just to make sure that the problem didn't return.

Anyway, it can't hurt to try doing this while you are waiting for the surgery. Maybe it will help you, too, and you won't need it after all ? I have used aloe drops in my eyes, too, and the main thing is that when you put it in your eyes, keep the eyes closed for a while so it can start healing them, and then take a tisue and wipe off any matter that comes out of the eyes. It is amazing how much brighter things look afterwards.

We will also be saying prayers for you for the surgery and healing. Bobby says they do it with lasers nowdays, so it probably would not take very long.

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Yvonne, thanks for all that info! It was really nice to see, first thing this morning! I am a big believer in natural meds. I have a theory that for every disease, there is a natural cure...somewhere. I will try both of your suggestions, and pray for a good result. Thank you for taking time to tell me these things. I have been reluctant to share things like this with people, because they often look askance at cures that don't have a drug company label. Also, happy to hear about your little Betty! What a success story that is!

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You know, that's one thing that scares me - cataract. I have already asked an ophthalmologist about it, wondering if cataract cannot be avoided. She said that not all aged people have cataracts and some even have clear vision not needing to wear eyeglasses. My parents-in-law were readers and they have good eyes but when they reached 80 years old, they underwent surgery for cataract.

There is a laser treatment here for cataracts that is faster than surgery which scrapes the surface of the eyes. However, the laser is not that safe because there are cases that the laser treatment was not successful and it has to be repeated thereby exposing to risk the eyes that can lead to blindness.

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Corie, one of the factors in developing cataracts seems to be sun exposure, without protective sunglasses. I have worn glasses since I was 8 years old, so it's not always been easy for me to protect my eyes from the sun. Another factor is apparently eye color, blue and green eyes being the most vulnerable. We don't have the melanin that people with dark eyes have. I wouldn't worry too much. It's true that not all people develop cataracts.

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I've been told that too about my eyes. My eye doctor is monitoring it. I've been reading about cataract surgery in the doctors office and it's quite safe. The pamphlet says that it takes 15-30 minutes for an eye. You can see again better too and do all the things you do in a few hours. Ask your doctor how it'll be is the best thing so you can prepare yourself for it. My doctor said it is not time yet for my cataract surgery. My doctor also says that the longer you wait the worst it gets for your eyes. It's simple out patient procedure for your cataract surgery. Good luck with your surgery.

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I've been told that too about my eyes. My eye doctor is monitoring it. I've been reading about cataract surgery in the doctors office and it's quite safe. The pamphlet says that it takes 15-30 minutes for an eye. You can see again better too and do all the things you do in a few hours. Ask your doctor how it'll be is the best thing so you can prepare yourself for it. My doctor said it is not time yet for my cataract surgery. My doctor also says that the longer you wait the worst it gets for your eyes. It's simple out patient procedure for your cataract surgery. Good luck with your surgery.

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Krissttina, My doctor told me the same thing, that the actual procedure will take about 15 minutes per eye. She also said that my vision would be much improved afterward. I don't like the thought of being put under, but at least I won't worry too much about the actual surgery. Thanks for the well wishes.

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Corie, one of the factors in developing cataracts seems to be sun exposure, without protective sunglasses. I have worn glasses since I was 8 years old, so it's not always been easy for me to protect my eyes from the sun. Another factor is apparently eye color, blue and green eyes being the most vulnerable. We don't have the melanin that people with dark eyes have. I wouldn't worry too much. It's true that not all people develop cataracts.

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I had been wearing eyeglasses since I was in grade school and my vision's grade increased when I entered college although now the grade seemed stable and I am continually wearing contact lenses. When I was new in the office, I was using the "permanent" contact lenses that don't need to be taken off at night. However, the ophthalmologist warned me against it because it might endanger my eyes when I'm asleep.

Regarding the sun's effect on the eyes, it may not be a factor to me since I was used to avoiding the direct rays of the sun. I am city-bred and it is common for us to avoid the sun unlike the kids in the rural area where they can endure the heat.

My mother is 81 years old but she had a stroke so we do not know if she has cataract. They say that the age of 80 is the measure if you will be afflicted with cataract or not.

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There is a video on Youtube called seeing is believing this was a DVD put out by a eye doctor who called Dr. Wallach a lair when he said he could reverse macular degeneration in the eyes. Dr. Wallach took 27 of his patients who were legally blind and returned their sight in a short time using nothing but nutrition. The eye doctors apology was this video. If cataracts are treated early they can be reversed but later need surgery.

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Cataract surgery is not a big deal anymore, anyone that I have known that has had it seemed to have no complaints afterwards except for the ugly glasses you have to wear for awhile. I would not be to nervous about this surgery and get it done. Last time I went for an eye exam the doctor told me that people should have more selenium and lutein in their diet. He felt he saw the beginning of macular degeneration and told me that there were studies that showed that using lutein especially seemed to significantly slow the aging process. Pumpkin seed is high in Lutein.

I was also told that people with light eyes need to protect their eyes from the sun more because of the increase in damage that seems to happen from sun exposure. For years I never wore sun glasses but now I do. I also use an eye lubricant and I have to say it has helped quite a bit. I would get serious allergy eyes in the past.

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My sight, during the last six or seven months, has been getting a little fuzz around lights and not too clear at other times. I had them Examined last year and was told I had the start of cataracts. Can they developed so fast? I thought they took years to develope.

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